?MAY
I??
(ro-manceis a Meal)
By Sommy Pearl F.
Chapter 61&62.
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
8 Minutes Earlier***
“Hey,, you up?” May whispered, as she slowly walked towards Ryder who was sitting on the be-d, with his back laying on its rest.
Ryder gave her a hopeful smile.
“Hale and healthy” He replied.
May looked into his eyes and squee-zed her face trying ha-rd not to cry.
“Wait,, you wanna cry?” He wi-dely opened his eyes.
May shook her head and sniffed.
“It’s my fault”
“Huh? How’s this your fault?” He queried, puzzled.
“Aiish!” May muttered, and tears slowly tickled down her eyes.
“Its my Fu-cking fault you got sick,,, dummy” She said.
“How’s that your fault? Did you trigger the sickness into my system or what?” He chuckled.
“If I didn’t get drunk last night, I wouldn’t have gone to you. Then, you wouldn’t have given me your jacket and you wouldn’t be laying here, sick”
“Oh goodness,, this is getting so boring. What’s with the wouldn’t, wouldn’t, wouldn’t. It’s not your fault, period! I was the one who decided to give you my jacket… you weren’t even aware I gave it to you”
“Don’t do it again, please… You really scared me” May said, crying with her eyes ti-ghtly closed and her mouth moving due to her wailings.
“Oh goodness, what’s wrong with her now?” Ryder said, and scratched his head.
“May?” He called.
She opened her eyes and looked at him.
“Come closer” He gestured.
May found her legs moving to him. She was now really close to him.
Ryder sighed, and wiped her tears.
“You look really really ugly when you cry so,, stop crying, okay?”
May sniffed and nodded.
However, out of the blue, Ryder pulled her hand and quickly gave her a ti-ght hu-g. May bulged her bo-dy trying to disrupt the hu-g but Ryder was quite stubborn.
“Please…” He muttered.
“Let’s just stay like this for few more seconds… ” He added.
May sniffed, and started crying again.
“I’m sorry… I’m really sorry”
“May. It’s enough, okay. You did nothing wrong. You are just making me feel bad. Let’s just hu-g each other. Besides, I deserve it since I’m your hu-gger… don’t you think?”
May slowly wrapped her arms around him. But, she couldn’t stop crying.
“May,, come on”
“No, please. Ryder, let me just cry cause I can’t hold this tears. I just can’t stop” She said.
It was Coral’s words that actually triggered her tears. She couldn’t stop thinking about it and couldn’t get why she changed negatively.
The door suddenly opened, and Coral walked inside. The ringing phone made May get to her se-nses. She tried to break the hu-g but Ryder took her in, ti-ght.
“I’m sorry but let’s just still stay like this,, please” He muttered.
“But someone just walked in…”
“I don’t care. If they are tired of staring and waiting, they are gonna leave”
May sighed.
“But still-
“Please…May”
“Let’s go, You!” May heard Raymond’s angry voice.
May quickly pushed Ryder’s arm away and pulled away from his bo-dy. She looked and saw Raymond p-ulling Coral’s arm, dragging her from the room.
May quickly ran out of the room while confused Ryder kept calling her name continuously.
****
“Chef god” May said, immediately and walked out.
Raymond looked at her. Coral who was sitting on the metal bench was glaring ha-rd at the tiled floor with fisted hands.
May went to Raymond.
“You’ve talked to him?” Raymond asked.
“I… can explain that” May said, instead.
“Explain what?” He asked, confused.
“What you just witness… I’m talking about the hu-g”
“And why would you explain? We aren’t in a special relationship for you to explain, are we?” He asked.
May blinked her eyes fast.
“Huh… Yes,,, I think you’re right” May responded.
“Anyways, you got a call. Check,, It could be important” Raymond said and gave her,, her phone which she collected.
“Who called?” She asked.
“I don’t know. Coral took it from me before I could glance at it” He replied.
May nodded and took her eyes to Coral. She noticed her attitude and could perceive danger.
“What’s wrong with her?” May asked, Raymond.
“I don’t know but its better you stay away from her for now” Raymond advised.
May nodded and walked past her. She went to the stair case and checked the caller on her phone.
However, she wasn’t familiar with the unknown number she was seeing.
“Who could this be?” May thought.
As she was looking at the number while thinking, the same number finally called.
She opened her eyes wi-dely and watched it ring before she accepted the call.
? Hello?
May said.
? Hey, Is this May?
The caller asked.
? Yeah, this is she. Who am I speaking with?
? Yeah..Huhhmm… First of all, I’m gonna introduce myself to you. Then, we are gonna meet cause I have few words to say to you.
? Huh? Like what exactly?
? Nah. nah, nah… introduction first.
? Uhmm, Okay then.
? Well, I’m Carlos.
? Carlos? Wow. I know someone who also bears the name.
? Eh? Who?
? My boss elder brother.
? What!! Sorry..Huh, What’s your boss name?
? Why? Is something wrong?
? Just reply, okay? I’m gonna explain later.
? Okay then. Raymond..That’s his name.
Carlos blinked his eyes in disbelief. What sort of coincidence is this?
? Wait! What does he do for a living?
? He’s a chef. Why? Do you know him?
Carlos ended the call quickly.
? Hello? Hello? Who’s this seriously?
“Oh well” May shrugged her shoulders and left the scene.
****
Carlos breathed heavily.
“What’s this? This isn’t a coincidence. Its witchery! But… how am I supposed to date Sandra now? It’s really obvious Raymond likes her. I’m for seeing they might date. How would May feel if her boyfriend’s brother is her dad?!”
“I’m doomed!” He inhaled, sadly.
“But I guess we can’t be together then. I and Sandra” He looked down, in thoughts. He felt gloomy throu-ghout the whole day.
A Week Later***
Ryder and Coral were busy cooking in the little kitchen while May and Raymond cooked in the other little one.
They were both teaching the girls how to cook and Coral sure learnt well. Ryder taught her how to prepare 5 dishes that day and Coral could prepare 3 out of it very well.
“High five” Ryder told her, raising his hand up, with his palm spr-ead all throu-gh.
Coral smiled and quickly accepted it. The high five clap gave a loud sound.
Meanwhile, May could ba-rely do anything. Raymond has been trying to teach her how to cook a pa-rticular Italian dish called Maccheroni which was a simple one.
“Hey, how are you gonna cope now?” Raymond complained.
“I’m gonna try-
“That’s what you’ve been saying. Try! Try! Try! Try! I’m tired of hearing those words!”
“So if I don’t try, What am I supposed to do?”
“Do your best! I should have picked Coral instead. All you ever give me in this kitchen is headaches”
“I’m sorry” May hung her head low in sadness.
“I mean just take a good look at your Maccheroni and mine. Just by the looks alone, one would know there’s a hu-ge difference. Can’t believe you still haven’t learnt well despite it being our 3rd day” He said.
May sighed dee-ply.
****
“You really tried. One would think you are an expert in making Italian dishes” Ryder smiled.
Coral returned the smile.
Seeing him smile made her freeze. It made her heart palpitate fast. She wanted to say something…
“Ryder, I like you” Coral said, quickly.
“Eh?” Ryder’s eyes bulged.
Coral quickly covered her surprised opened mouth. Like, why did she say that! It was really quick and unexpected for her.
The cat was out of the bag already. She had to make it known to him fully. After mustering up courage, She finally blurted;
“I’m in love with you, Ryder” She told him, after taking her hands off her mouth. She could read the shocked and surprised expression written on his handsome face.
****
“Go on, taste mine” Raymond said, gesturing her.
May sighed again and took a fork of it into her mouth. She ate it and swallowed it.
“So, how was it?” He asked.
“Obviously, It’s fine” She muttered, facing down.
Raymond looked at her, and slowly stretched his hand towards her face. He raised her chin up and wiped the sauce on the side of her li-p.
May’s eyes twitched. She became nervous instantly and could feel her hand pounding heavily.
Raymond looked at her staring eyes. He took his eyes to her li-ps and quickly took it back to her eyes.
His hand was still on her li-p side. They didn’t blink their eyes away either.
“May?” He called her in a soft and calm voice
“Yeah?” She replied in a whisper.
“What am I gonna do now?”
“Huh?… What’s it?”
“I think I’m in love with you,, as well”
May’s eyes finally blinked.
tbc